Most people with early lung cancer do not exhibit any symptoms, so their cancer is rarely diagnosed at an early stage. Any of the following symptoms should be reported to a doctor:
- Chronic, hacking cough, sometimes accompanied by bloody sputum
- Recurrent respiratory infections
- Shortness of breath
- Persistent chest pain
- Hoarseness
- Swelling in the neck and face
- Fatigue
- Weight loss
- Severe headaches
- Intermittent fever
- Loss of appetite
When the lung cancer has spread to other organs, the following symptoms may appear:
- Bone pain or weakness in the shoulder, hand, or arm
- Jaundice on the skin and around the eyes
- Masses near the surface of the body, due to the cancer’s spread to the lymph nodes in the neck
